Proof
by starsshineinthedark
Summary: A Lily/James view.How did they get together? My first fan fic, so if you read it please review and be nice! I'd really appreciate feed back, particularly on my portrayal of the characters. Disclaimer, I do not own any characters you recognise.
1. Chapter 1

**James stepped on to the Hogwarts Express and looked around.**

**He waited to see the familiar flaming red locks before going to his friends compartment, as he did each year. As usual, she sat with her three closest friends, Cathy Grant, Enya Clover, and Sam Cassidy. **

**He could see her smiling, laughing at something Enya said, which from the way she looked down at the floor, still laughing, was probably teasing directed at her. He smiled, hoping it was about him, and went to the long- claimed Marauders compartment.**

'**Prongs! It's about time man, jeez I've been here with Wormtail and Juicy (a frog), Moony and Moony's book, just feeling like a fifth wheel! What happened? Was lily persuaded to talk to you this year? (At this Wormtail and Moony, aka Peter and Remus looked up, the conversation having taken an interesting turn).**

**James sat down and picked up a chocolate frog, which was lying in a small mountain of them on their table, and promptly threw it at his friend's head. Sirius ducked and grinned, having succeeded in slagging his friend within two minutes of greeting him.**

'**Nope, but it doesn't matter. This year it's going to happen,' he replied cheerfully, fully confident in his predictions. 'Déjà vu,' sighed Remus, shaking his head.**

**The most thoughtful, mature member of the Marauders, he watched James' attempts to win the affections of Lily Evans, vibrant, popular, belle of Hogwarts, year after year with amusement and some pity. Though James and Sirius were known throughout Hogwarts as being the most popular of bad boys, James did not have a chance with Lily, the one girl who thought his pranks were childish and sometimes cruel, rather than hilarious, his looks mediocre not cute, and his talents showy not impressive. He himself was the only Marauder Lily considered a friend, and he knew her well enough to know that was as close as she planned on getting to any Marauder. **

**Snapping out of his reverie, he put down his book, took a frog and grabbed Peter's before it jumped out the window. Then he started practicing his levitating charms.**


	2. Chapter 2

Lily walked down the corridor, headed toward the Marauder compartment, where she had to grab Remus so they could work out how to prep the new Prefects. A sixth year now, she had been delighted to find out she was Head Girl, and even more so to find Remus had been made Head Boy. Though she had been slightly worried about the Marauders taking advantage of the Private common room until she had come across Repello. Wonderful little charm, did exactly what it said on the tin. All she'd need were items belonging to each boy to enact it and she'd beg, bribe or blackmail Remus into getting them for her. Opening their door without knocking, because she owed James for years of doing it to her, she stepped inside the Marauders compartment.

'Evans! So nice to see you here, just excuse Prongs, I needed a tester for a silencing charm…but I'll take it off if you want?'

'No Sirius really, it's fine, I need to talk to Remus.'

'Oh…well that's fine but on your head be it Moony, he still has the use of his wand….'

'Congrats, I knew you'd be Head Girl. Are you nervous?' asked Remus as they walked down the corridor, trying to find an empty compartment.

'Not really, I think I should be able to handle it. Plus it's you and me kid, and you're ok. There were rumours it was between you and James.'

'Did you just shudder?'

'If you'd thought it might be you and James on this job wouldn't you shudder?'

'I'm fairly sure James knows nothing's going to happen between me and him so it'd be ok.'

'Funny.'

Seeing an empty compartment at last, Lily took a notebook from her bag, and they began to note what had to be explained to the Prefects.

Lily smiled at each new face as the eight Prefects walked through compartment 213, to hear what they would now be responsible for. Lily noted their expressions, as she knew from experience that they reflected attitudes toward the position. She recognised the Gryfindors, Elvin Hilder and Claire Wheelan, and one or two of the others, but didn't know any of them personally. When they were all in, she began outlining the duties of each house.

'Will this mean having to punish people in our own year?' asked the Ravenclaw boy Remus now knew as Michael Ivory. He looked distinctly uncomfortable with the idea and Remus couldn't help but empathise. It was better than the smug attitude the Slytherins were wearing on their sleeves anyway. 'It might', replied Lily, 'but not often. You're still a student, it's mostly malicious behaviour toward other students you give detentions for, or if you have to break up fights. Don't worry too much, it's the first years you'll be concentrating on supervising.'

'How much time will we be spending patrolling after lights out?' Remus answered the Hufflepuff girl, named Alexa Swan. 'Not much. You'll be patrolling once a fortnight with your house partner for two to three hours. You won't have early morning classes the next day.' 'And if you don't like your house partner?' muttered Avril Clement, Slytherin. Remus grinned. 'You take it up with Dumbledore.'

'So that went well', Lily stated happily as she and Remus walked together back to their friends. 'Yeah. They're a pretty ok six.'

'Slytherins don't count now?'

'They never have. Making them Prefects is a formality. I read that in Hogwarts a history, I'm fairly sure.'

'By the way, Remus I need you to do me a favour.'

'O…K?'

'James won't get hurt, honestly. I just need some DNA from the Marauders.' 'Lily, come on.'

'It'll keep them from taking over our Common Room, and Enya said she's happy to take the blame if they cop it.'

'Brave girl.'

'She can take the three of them wands down to be fair. Her dad teaches kick boxing.'

'Lily, I can't ban them from visiting.'

'They can still visit. They just won't want to.'

'Ok fine. Anything else?'

'

'Yes. Would u let James know I have a boyfriend? Subtly?'

'Damn you Lily….'


	3. Chapter 3

**Remus walked, as casually as he could, back to the Marauders compartment, and sat beside Peter. As long as he gave an air of nonchalance he might, just might, be able to make James feel as though there was no need to panic.**

'**Are you ok Remus? You look worried.'**

**It was a pity really that Peter never felt it might be an idea to ask these things in private. 'How'd it go with the new prefects Moony? Anything interesting happen?' asked James who Remus knew had no interest in the new Prefects.**

'**I'm fine Pete. And no, not really, the Slytherins don't like each other and the others seem ok. Don't think any of them are the power-mad type anyway.' 'And they know where they stand? I assume they are aware of the superior position of the Marauders, Moony?' 'Sirius,don't try intimidating the Prefects,' sighed Remus. 'Lighten up Moony. Peter's right, you're not being your usual uplifting self. Did Evans ask you out or something?' James sat up straight more quickly than he had on the occasion Sirius managed to sneak a cattle prod into Hogwarts. 'No'….Remus replied tentatively, not at all happy with the way he was having to deliver the news, 'I don't think Lily will be asking anybody out. She has a boyfriend.' **

'**Proo-ongs, come out, I'm hungry,' whined Sirius. 'And I'm fine. Go ahead,' **

**came the short reply. 'You have to eat James,' Peter called into the dorm. 'Look, I'm thinking. So go ahead, I'll be down later.' Remus firmly took the arms of both Sirius and Peter, not for the first time feeling like an adult amongst children. 'Guys, if he wants to think, let him. You can eat as separate beings you know.' But he too, was worried. James had barely said a word since the train. No ranting, no threats, no planned prank wars. Just….quiet.**

**Half way through dinner, after the sorting had finished, Remus slipped back up to their dorm, telling the other two he had talk to the prefects before gathering the first years. Peter was absorbed in what he was eating anyway, and Sirius was chatting up a fifth year named Dawn so they didn't really notice. **

'**Prongs, you ok man?' he asked James who was still lying on his bed, hand beneath his head, throwing a snitch and catching it.**

'**Yea-ah- no. I'm not, Moony. I should have expected that but I kind of built up this hope of her being more likely to give me a chance this year. Since it's our last year and I had actually planned on copping on a bit. Dead man, whoever he is.'**

'**Thing is mate, I don't think killing him will do you any favours. If you were planning on copping on, go for that. She thinks of you as the same person you were six, five, four years ago. You might do better if you can show her you have actually changed.' **

**James sat up slowly. 'Maybe, yeah. I'm bound to be better looking than this idiot anyway. If I spend more time talking to her,' **

'**-not asking her out-'**

'**-let her get to know me-'**

'**-maybe try to show an interest in her personally-'**

'**What do you mean?' asked James, shocked. 'I am interested in her, Moony. I know everything about her. I know what she reads, what she listens to, that she has a scar on her right elbow, that she's part of a group for the protection of magical creatures, that she's really close to her family-'**

'**Ok man, ok, you don't need to convince me. I know you're ok, very deep down. Just- try to go six months without asking her out, just talking to her as a friend. And stop messing about hexing people, Snape included. And don't play with the snitch so much around her. And for Gods' sake, don't start hostilities with her boyfriend. Maybe concentrate on your work. Just…relax.'**

'**God Moony, that's not relaxing, that's being you.'**

'**And one more thing, maybe don't tell her you know so much about her. Just let it come across over time.' **

'**It does seem a bit stalkerish I suppose…'**

'**First step James. First step.'**


End file.
